Welcome to Week 6, gals! How are you doing? Peter and I are so inspired by all of you and your dedication to this program. Hopefully you’re feeling inspired by each other, too!

The last few weeks of any program is when we start to see people fall off. You’re tired, your body wants a break, you think, “I’ve already done five weeks of work, that’s probably plenty.” So this is a good time to find an accountability buddy – someone who won’t let you off the hook and will help make sure you finish out the next three weeks stronger than ever.

In health coaching, we ask our clients how they will be accountable to their action steps (like planning to work out three times a week). Clients literally can’t leave the session without thinking through a strategy for staying on top of their goals. They’ll plan to leave sticky notes on the bathroom mirror or the coffee pot or they’ll set alarms in their phones, but more often than not they recruit a friend to keep themselves on track.

Last week my darling friend and fellow health coach, Natalie, reminded me how impactful it can be to have an accountability buddy. I was in desperate need of some structure in my schedule, so she and a few other girlfriends gave me a gift card to purchase a new planner (I’m so old school, I know). After that gesture of kindness, I really had no choice but to go out and buy the damn planner.

Who in your life can you enlist to help you finish these workouts? Who won’t let you off the hook? As much as Peter and I would love to be this for all of you, we can’t. So find this person and give them permission to whip you into shape.

On another note, how has the nutrition part of the program been going for you? Now that it’s somehow already fall, we’re going to be eating spaghetti squash this week – it’s a low-carb alternative to pasta that still feels hearty and comforting. My recipe cuts a few corners so you don’t have to make the sauce completely from scratch, you just fancy it up with a few extra ingredients to save time.

Share pictures of your meals or your fitness progress with us on social media using #SMPBootcamp! We love love love hearing from you! Have a great week, my dears!

Molly Winding is a freelance writer and health coach who splits her time between Vail and Denver. She is a foodie, health nut, and lover of books, movies, and meditation. When she isn’t working, you’ll find her spending time outside with her fiancé and their goldendoodle. Follow her @windmol!